The Chicago Athenaeum: Museum of Architecture and Design has honored the BBVA Mexico City Headquarters building with a 2017 International Architecture Award. The annual awards program honors new and cutting-edge design worldwide, recognizing projects in architecture, landscape architecture, and urban planning. Organized by the Chicago Athenaeum in partnership with Metropolitan Arts Press, Ltd. and the European Center for Architecture, Art, Design, and Urban Studies, the program reflects the changing state of global architecture and reveals emerging new design directions by today’s foremost practitioners. This year’s jury reviewed a record number of submissions from 27 countries, narrowing them down to a shortlist of 300 and a finalist list of 74.
At the 850,000-square-foot BBVA Mexico City Headquarters, SOM provided interior design services, focusing on generating a highly performative workplace and bolstering client services. The interior design effort was based on the Global Interior Design Standards and Manual, which SOM created to unify the various offices of BBVA, an international retail banking institution. In addition to office interiors, the standards also guided the design of elevator lobbies, reception areas, conference rooms, and support areas.